Like many of you, I have been thinking about this so much and how the situation impacts the student athletes at every level - from the kid in her or his last college year to the incoming freshman to the high school kids who should be feeling one step closer to playing at the next level.
@Simisoccerfan and I were going to share a game together in Hawaii; I would have been texting with
@SpeedK1llz about his child and mine; I would have been watching the Pac-12 GKs with keen interest as there may have been 3 starters from the same youth club; and I would have been watching my kid experience something totally new, really challenging and absolutely special. What a difference 8 months makes (when the US U18s were getting ready to play China's U18s at the end of Jan, the families were alerted to the steps the Federation, Customs and the state of FL were taking to make sure the athletes were safe to enter the country so, yeah, we've known for a while).
It's such a terrible bummer for all considered. And, yet, what else could they have done? I mean, I get that there are differences in risk tolerance and one can advocate a position based on the available stats and that it's all sort of abstract until close friend or family member gets sick. But even if the statistical risk is low, the potential impact is enormous to a single life, to a team, to an athletic program, to a campus and broader community. I support the Pac's decision because, to me, there is still far too much that is unknown and we have failed to put ourselves in the best position to protect ourselves against that huge unknown. Will college football be the trigger, like the SEC's decision was for the Mississippi state flag? Will that result in a more cohesive national plan (even if through a series of state-by-state commitments)?
Good luck, all. I wish good physical and mental health to all of you and your families.